Community

It is our desire that Rugeley Community Church will see this page grow with more and more community based projects and initiatives that will help to improve the lives of all people in our community. Whilst we will always retain a particular focus on our immediate local community of Rugeley and the surrounding areas, we have faith that Rugeley Community Church can also have a positive impact nationally and internationally as well. Below are some of the projects that we are currently involved with. Some have links to our Rugeley Community Centre website which has further details.

As Christians, our example of how to act is Jesus. He spent time with all sorts of people and did not care if his love and compassion for people was seen as weird or even socially unacceptable (John 4 & Matthew 8). Jesus did not just walk around telling people about His father God, sin and salvation; He also cared for people by addressing their practical and emotional needs. Jesus explained this concept clearly in Luke chapter 10 when a lawyer (of the time) asked Jesus to clarify the commandment to ‘love thy neighbour’ by asking Jesus “who is my neighbour?” Jesus responds in the form of a parable (as He often did) and told the famous story of The Good Samaritan where we learn that anyone in need is our neighbour and we should love them by serving them.

Rugeley Foodbank

Foodbanks are a nationwide initiative to provide emergency food for those in need. Rugeley Community Church, with help from other local Churches, run the Rugeley Foodbank. Whilst we love helping people in need, we wish that Foodbanks were actaully redundant in our modern society. The truth is though that in the first half of 2016, around 500,000 emergency food parcels were handed out at foodbanks nationwide. Reasons for needing to receieve emergency food are extremely varied and are often not as a result of poor judgement or planning, it could happen to any of us.

Food is donated by businesses, supermarkets, charities and individuals; once it arrives at Rugeley Community Centre it is logged, weighed and sorted into types and use-by date. Care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, schools and social workers identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher. This entitles them to receive a foodbank parcel of three days’ nutritionally balanced, non-perishable food.

Foodbanks aim to provide more than just emergency food however, the people recieving the food are often upset, depressed, worried, scared etc. and therefore we offer a freindly face to talk to and point them in the direction of organsiations, charities and other professionals who may be able to help them further.

Horse Fair Care Home

Every fortnight a team from Rugeley Community Church family spend an hour and a half on a Wednesday morning at Avery Care Home in Rugeley.

The morning visit includes a short “thought for the day”, singing a couple of well-known Christian songs and chatting with the residents.

Over the last year the team has built up good relationships and friendships with both residents and staff.

Some of the team also now go in at other times to visit residents or attended the “knit and natter” group which does exactly what the name suggests!

Helping Hands

Rugeley Community Helping Hands aims to bring those together in our community who need support, guidance and advice with those who can locally provide it. We do this by holding “open house” public meetings with local agencies, meetings are held three times a year (usually in March, June and November) at Rugeley Community Centre.

The main hall of the centre is opened and arranged along the lines of an exhibition with individual agencies being available to offer practical help, advice, demonstrate exhibits and give out information.

The event is open to all residents in Rugeley, and the surrounding areas, held in a warm and friendly atmosphere; the event is also used as an opportunity to raise funds for local charities by the holding a “coffee and cake” morning on the day. We have previously raised funds for MacMillan Cancer Support, St.Giles Hospice and the Midlands Air Ambulance Charities.

Access Eng

Access English delivers lessons in English to small class sizes (around 6 students) in an easy going, fun and friendly atmosphere at Rugeley Community Centre. Access English is especially tailored for speakers of other languages based on the national standards of the “Skills for Life” levels in the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Core Curriculum produced by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). The various levels are specified as: ‘Entry Levels’ 1, 2 and 3 followed by the more advanced ‘Level 1’ and ‘Level 2’ courses. The core curriculum is based on the national standards for adult literacy developed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and shares the basic principles laid down in the National Curriculum for schools. The courses specifically focus on speaking, listening and responding skills, skills of reading and understanding and also the skill of writing to communicate. The approach of these ESOL courses demonstrates that all learners, whatever level, can improve and move towards achieving their full potential in using the English Language; developing skills for life and opening doors to the future. There is no charge for these Courses which are open to all (subject to availability), however, should anyone require a formal ESOL Certificate then we are not able to offer this facility and students are advised to join an Accredited ESOL school for which there will be fees and charges. Most of our students, numbering in excess of 20 to-date, are from Europe but we have had students from as far afield as Brazil and Thailand.